US Royalty

When: Mon., Sept. 9, 9 p.m. 2013

Chasing some of the same blues muses that fueled The Black Keys' ascent to stardom hasn't hurt the Washington, D.C., outfit U.S. Royalty, but their proper debut, Mirrors, also adorns its classic rock riffing with cocky T. Rex flavor, spaghetti western twang and textural acumen that hints toward psychedelia. A word of caution, though: Like the Keys have lately, U.S. Royalty suggests more eccentricity than they indulge, meaning the songs sacrifice singularity for a broad reach. We've seen this sort of trending-indie-meets-AOR adoption with the likes of Silversun Pickups and The Airborne Toxic Event. U.S. Royalty follows suit with a sound that could fill rooms and film syncs just fine.
—Bryan C. Reed